Router Memory

Router Memory

A router contains 3 type of memory:

Running-Config Memory

Startup-Config Memory

Flash Memory

Running-Config Memory

Running-Config memory stores the running configurations of the router. It is volatile memory, which which means it gets erased when the router’s power is off. Running-Config memory is called VRAM (Volatile Random Access Memory). It is similar to RAM in our laptops or desktop.

Startup-Config Memory

Startup-config memory stores the saved configurations of the router. Startup-config memory is Non-Volatile Memory, which means it can store the data of configurations in routers until it is deleted. It is called the NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access memory). It’s similar to the hard disk in our desktops.

Flash Memory

Flash memory is the memory of the router in which the operating system of the router (i.e., router IOS) is stored. Router IOS is in.bin file format (e.g., router2811.bin). It can be backed up to another server or storage device.